Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday reverted the tuition fees being paid by students of the Lagos State University, LASU, to the old rate of N25, 000.
This came as armed security operatives shot teargas canisters at the members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU-LASU, who gathered few metres away from the entrance gate to protest their unpaid salaries.
The administration of Fashola had in 2011 hiked the fees to between N193,000 to N350,000, which led to massive protests by students, leading to the reduction in the fees from between 34 and 60 percent few months ago.
But during the 19th convocation ceremony of the school at its campus in Ojo area of Lagos, Fashola succumbed and announced total reversal of the school fees to the old rate of N25, 000.
The total 100 percent reversal of the fees elicited wild jubilation among students and parents, who commended the governor for doing the right thing.
“Our students have also shown that they can choose this path of conflict resolution. They have reached out to me for a revision of their fee, which I have acceded to, in consultation with the State Executive Council for reduction between 34 per cent and 60 per cent across board. In spite of this reduction, the students have again demanded for further reduction. And they have done so in the most civilised way. And because of this, we had to consult extensively and we have come to the conclusion that the current economic situation of the country compels a reduction to the old tuition fees for the institution.
“And this was a response to the yearning of parents, guardian, senior citizens of the country. I believe that with this, it will lead to the end of the activities of the busy bodies who have sorted to use a genuine issue of how to fund tertiary education in our country to gain public recognition. While other well meaning citizens of the state were busy making efforts on how the issue could be better resolved, they were busy instigating students and making mischief.
“Our students have shown that they value their education and will not fall prey to fear weather and self-seeking people who masquerade as their friends, but whose objective is to use the students’ genuine demands for their own selfish agenda. For me, we must now move on to the developmental work students’ arcade, which was ongoing in this great institution. This administration is determined to ensure that no child who seeks education is left behind.” the governor said
The governor commended the academic and non-teaching staff for their effort in ensuring that despite the nine months strike, they rallied round the Vice chancellor, Professor John Obafunwa to ensure that the students graduated yesterday, saying they ensured that academic activities went on in the hit of the strike.
But Vanguard gathered that the students, two months ago, sent another letter to the governor demanding total reversal to the old tuition fees paid before the increment in 2011.
